Pigs #2

I've been doing some research to try to work out how to monitor the pigs' weight gain, feed consumption, efficiency level etc., so that I can make sure they are on track, and make sure I can detect any problems up front.

Unfortunately I'm having some problems with Excel at the moment so I can't get anything much together, but here are the first week's results.

Using the technique for estimating pig weight using a tape measure from http://www.thepigsite.com/articles/541/weighing-a-pig-without-a-scale, I got the following results:

Big Pig: Heart Girth = 34", Length = 42", estimated weight in lbs = (34^2 x 42) / 400 = 121.38, or in kgs = 121.38 / 2.2 = 55.17kgs

Small Pig: Heart Girth = 30", Length = 36", estimated weight in lbs = (30^2 x 36) / 400 = 81, or in kgs = 36.82kgs

Measuring the pigs was nowhere near as 'interesting' as I'd feared!  I've already been scratching their backs, patting them and generally trying to get them used to being touched and handled every day (they are worryingly endearing and cute so hopefully I won't wobble when 'the time' comes!  They have very 'human' looking, intelligent brown eyes and follow me around their enclosure 'at heel'!).  I measured them when they were eating and they hardly seemed to notice!

I'm going start charting in the format below, and then later on overlay the growth rate charts from http://www.thepigsite.com/stockstds/18/daily-feed-intake to try to develop some curves which are more appropriate for pure bred British Saddlebacks, rather than the ones from the Pig Site which I would guess are more appropriate for a modern commercial hybrid pig.

Small Pig
	Liveweight (kg)	Gain / Day (g)	Feed / Day (g)
27.04.2012	33.00
04.05.2012	36.82	545.71	2012.20
Delta	3.82	kg
Feed Consumed	14.09	kg
FCR	3.69

Big Pig
	Liveweight (kg)	Gain / Day (g)	Feed / Day (g)
27.04.2012	49.00
04.05.2012	55.17	881.43	2987.80
Delta	6.17	kg
Feed Consumed	20.91	kg
FCR	3.39

I've been feeding them about 5kg per day between them, twice a day (i.e. 2.5kg for breakfast and 2.5kg for tea), and have assumed in the above that they eat in proportion to their bodyweight. 

In one of my favourite farming books 'The Farming Ladder' by George Henderson (http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Farming-Ladder-G-Henderson/dp/144650879X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336249106&sr=8-1), Henderson explains how they fatten Pedigree Large Whites to 210lbs in 210 days, on 6 hundredweight (672lbs) of meal.  This would seem to be a MUCH slower rate that those shown on the pig-site, so I guess that may be more realistic for my pure breeds?  Anyway, after a few more weeks we should be able to make an educated guess!